Shelley King as Yasmeen Metcalfe on Coronation Street
Veteran actress Shelley King has reportedly bid farewell to after an impressive 11-year stint as Yasmeen Nazir.
Shelley, aged 69, graced the cobbles initially in 2014 but she is set to make her exit from Weatherfield later this year. Reports indicate that she has wrapped up her filming commitments, with her final on-screen appearances slated for March.
Her departure signals the continuation of , amidst speculation that the soap is negotiating tight budget constraints.
Sue Cleaver, in the role of Eileen Grimshaw, along with Colson Smith, known for playing Craig Tinker among others, are also poised to leave the show by 2025.
Soap devotees may find Shelley’s withdrawal particularly disconcerting, as her portrayal of Yasmeen has secured her status as a fan favourite. Nonetheless, it is anticipated that leaving the demanding production cycle of the ITV series will open new doors for her to engage in diverse projects.
A source divulged to : “This will be another blow for fans of the show, as Yasmeen is a much-loved character who’s part of the fabric of . She’s had some huge storylines since she joined the soap in 2014, and she’ll be sorely missed by cast and crew. It’s understood she is leaving so she can explore other projects”, reports .
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Shelley joined the soap in 2014
Express Online has attempted to reach ITV for a comment.
Earlier this month, rumours surfaced suggesting that the ITV soap is financially “on it’s knees” and struggling to maintain production.
It’s reported that beloved characters are being cut in an attempt to bring in fresh talent and lean on younger cast members.
However, these backstage changes have reportedly not been well-received by the cast. As per a report from the Daily Mail last week: “In years gone by, stars would receive a standard fee per episode, which meant for major characters, they could rack up a very lucrative pay cheque.”
It’s anticipated that scenes set in the Rovers Return may no longer be filled with familiar faces from the iconic fictional street due to cost constraints. Even actors with minimal lines would still require payment.
A source previously told The Sun: “The cast loved the days when lots of scenes were filmed in the Rovers because it didn’t matter if you had 10 scenes in an episode or just sat in the pub – you’d get paid the same.”
They added: “Playing a barmaid or the landlord was a dream gig and would guarantee you got paid a fortune because it didn’t matter if you just served someone in the background – you got paid for the episode.”
Fans have already picked up on the reduced screen time of major characters in recent months.
Veteran actress Helen Worth, who bid farewell to her iconic character Gail Platt after five decades on Christmas Day 2024, made a mere 26 appearances out of 304 episodes leading up to her departure.
Similarly, Mike Le Vell, who portrays Kevin Webster, was featured in only 46 episodes, despite being integral to a significant cancer scare narrative.